Phantom festival

One of the four major festivals on the Gaelic calendar (along with Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane), Lughnasadh is an ancient celebration of the first harvest, traditionally taking place at the end of Jul

The Himalayas of northwestern Bhutan are peaks of such otherworldly beauty, locals believe them to be home to spirits. In the remote village of Laya, an annual highland festival celebrates their earthly inhabitants — but don’t be surprised if you come across a strange creature or two

Manchester Caribbean Carnival runs on August 9 and 10, from 12-8 p.m. daily. The two-day free, family event celebrates community, heritage and music, taking place in the heart of the city at Alexandra

FT has covered these a number of times, with one of the earliest and most disastrous examples taking place in Hammersmith in 1804 (see FT296:42-45, 310:30-35, 452:16-18). Then a semi-rural village on

Make the most of the remaining sunshine season with some outdoor fun

Ecuador’s festivities are not just a chance to party; they offer visitors incredible insights into local culture too, writes Sinead Mulhern